Preliminary note on the action of glucose upon the amount of epinephrin in the blood

Abstract

The modern theory of experimental diabetes is that a glycosecretory center is located in the medulla, from which impulses pass down the cord, emerge in the splanchnics, and go to the liver to increase the transformation of glycogen into glucose. It is held by some that as the splanchnics contain the secretory fibers of the adrenals, that these impulses from the glyco-secretory center increase the amount of epinephrin, which mobilizes the glycogen of the liver and thus produces a diabetes. It is well known that epinephrin is a stimulant of the sympathetic nerves, hence it is a stimulant of the splanchnics. We have found the injection of glucose per jugular in the cat increases the amount of epinephrin in the blood, as shown by the intestinal strip of the rabbit. Hence we have here a circle: epinephrin stimulates the secretory nerves of the adrenals to produce epinephrin, which via the glycogen of the liver produces more glucose, which in its turn generates more epinephrin. We have also found the other sugars to increase the amount of epinephrin in the blood. Pilocarpin, skatol and indol also augment the amount of epinephrin in the blood.